Voltage booster for the generator of motor vehicles



Dec. 14, 1954 R. M. MCDONALD VOLTAGE BOOSTER FOR THE GENERATOR OF MOTOR VEHICL Filed Sept. 26, 1952 Russell M. .McDona/d INVENTOR.

United States Patent Oflfice VOLTAGE BOOSTER FOR THE GENERATOR OF MOTOR VEHICLES Russell M. McDonald, Conway, Ark. Application September 26, 1952, Serial No.

3 Claims. (Cl. 290-50) motor driving the vehicle. Consequently, when the motor vehicle is operated for long intervals at low motor speeds the battery may become discharged and not effective in producing operation of the vehicle.

with rotary breaker 14 having a speed responsive to the motor of the vehicle and battery 20.

As is customary in automotive vehicles the battery 20 is charged from a generator 16 having an output terminal 22 which connects to the battery 20 through a series to move the contacts 58 and 60 into engagement.

2,697,175 Patented Dec. 14, 1954 regulator coil 24 and a series cut out coil 26. The termina 22 is connected through the series connected coils 24 to a general output terminal 28. As is usual a shunt coil 30 for the cut out operates the nal 28 to the battery 20.

The generator 16 is provided with a field coil 34 tends to the field with the contact 60. Coil in series circuit relation with the conductor from the key 10 to the ignition coil 12.

For convenience of assembly impedance 54 trol contacts 58-60 are mounted on an insulating base provided with terminals for connection of the impedance 54 and which are connected to the arms 64 and 62 of the contacts 58 and 60. The coil 70 and the into engagement is connected 72 extending and the con- 72. Preferably the insulating base 80 is mounted in a housing 94 having a suitable mounting bracket 96.

applied to the coil 12 tion impulses through At low speeds of the motor the breaker 14 will provide relawill be delivered through the coil 70; contacts 58 and 60 will then be opening and closing with the contacts 58 the time.

substantially inopa predetermined speed the impulses will come so continually closely spaced that the contacts 58 and 60 will remain closed with the resulting efiect of short circuiting the impedance 54 and rendering it inoperative to reduce the potentialapplied to-the coil 50. Asv soonasrthis speed is reached the coil 50- will operate in anormal manner so that. the coil SO-Will'add its pull-to the coil 44 to open the contacts 48 as is customary in suchadevices.

It will be apparent that the'present system provides a impedance operative to control a portion of the regulator device so that a higher voltage will-be maintainedin the generator than would normally'be maintained during the low speed operation thereof with the resultthat the battery will be charged atthe low speed operation: of the motor operating the vehicle.

While for purposes of illustration a presently preferred embodiment of theinventionhas been shown and described according to the. best presenttunderstanding thereof, it will beapparent that changes maybe made in the construction and arrangement of parts thereof- Without departing from the true spirit and purpose of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use in an automotive battery charging system mounted on an automobile having a'primary ignition circuit having a magnetic switching device controlling the field impedanceof a-charging generator, a device for substantially inhibiting-operation of said magnetic switching device at low generatorspeed comprising an impedance device connected in series circuit relation with said magnetic switching device, a switch connected in shuntwith said impedance device, resilient means yieldingly urging said switch to open position, an electromagnetic device operative when energized to urge said switch to. closed position, said electromagnetic device being connected in series circuit relation with the primary ignition circuit-o the automobile.

2. For use in a battery charging'system for an automotive vehicle having a generator for charging a battery, an

and a voltage regulator controlling curignition system,

a device rent flow from said generator to said battery,

I for boosting the low speed voltage of said generator, said impedance device, resilient device. comprising an impedance. device connected to re.- duce the voltage applied to said voltage regulator, a switch connected across said impedance device, resilient means urging said switch to open position, electromagnetic means operative when engaged to urge said switch into short circuiting relation with said impedance device, said electromagnetic means including a coil, said coil being connected for 'energization in dependence on the current flow in said ignition circuit.

3. For use in a battery charging system for an automotive vehicle having a generator for charging a battery, an ignition system having a supply circuit, and a voltage regulator controlling current flow from said generator to said battery, a device for boosting the low speed voltage of said generator, said device comprising an imedance device connected to reduce the voltage applied to said voltage regulator, a switch connected across said means, urging said switch to open position, electromagnetic means operative when engaged. to urge said switch into short circuiting relation with, said impedance device, said electromagnetic means including a coil, said coil being connected in series circuit relation with the supply circuit of said ignition system.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

